Dear Ms. Palin

Well-educated working women do not want international representation by a caricature smiling a “ya betcha” at the leader of a foreign government. We do not dumb ourselves down to be more empathetic with women and/or to entice men into our webs because we know who we are, what we believe, and how to present ourselves in a professional manner. When you were added to the McCain ticket, he lost my vote: I could not confirm your standing as the second highest office holder in this nation when you presented yourself as just another ditzy broad.

Actions speak louder than words for the working class, but quality actions have to be reinforced with quality speeches for a politician. The “just folks” approach that is so appealing in rural America seems clownish on a national stage and outright ridiculous on the international political scene. We can let our hair down in an appropriate venue when we are private citizens, but a political figure can never let her hair down because she represents public office and loses her private citizen status the moment she declares her candidacy.

Meg Whitman ran for governor of California at the same time you were a vice-presidential candidate. Meg was brought down by allegations of haughtiness, while you were ridiculed as too common. Meg allegedly hired an illegal immigrant housekeeper, and the media’s perception became not just Meg’s reality, but her nightmare, and you hunted for moose and endorsed drilling for oil in the pristine wilderness of Alaska, while the media was still touting the effects of global warming. Meg had multiple millions to spend on her campaign, which made the voters feel that she didn’t need their support, while you were just plain old Sarah, which made you seem too needy and, perhaps, gullible to the big powers that be.

No one knows whether you are going to run again, but my advice is don’t do it: you are not ready to take on the good ole boys, nor the nasty girls, who earned their credentials in Washington, DC the hard way. Being vice president is not a popularity contest won with a cute smile, darling outfit, and great hair, but a job that requires tremendous executive ability, as well as public performance. The US does not need international jokes made at the vice president’s expense, ala Joe Biden, whose foot spends more time in his mouth than his dinner fork, but Biden is forgiven because he’s been in DC a long time and earned the right to the thankless job of being Mr. Second in Line. Hillary Clinton has the creds, the contacts, and the international respect to make another run at the Presidency, but there is something lurking in her background that led to her hasty withdrawal from the last race – and I’m going to bet that there is something in your background that will be used to destroy you if you come out again as a candidate for the highest political office. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice and be publicly pilloried.

If you are determined to do this, get a more professional team of handlers to take you through the public appearance process and help you to rebuild your image into one that all Americans can relate to, not just the isolated few in the back country. Referring to a potential vice president's spouse as "The Second Dude" will not work a second time around. As a single professional woman, I can handle my life as well as the next female, but having strong opinions on local, national, and international policies and practices, combined with my singular accomplishments within my own sphere of influence, do not qualify me to run the government.

The people have already provided you with the feedback you need to make the decision, and while the people seem amenable to your public appearances, they do not confirm that you are qualified to make another run at the White House.

Listen to them.